'Parliament should not be controlled by the prime minister or ministers'
Abdur Razzak
Former veteran student leader Abdur Razzak is a presidium member of Awami League (AL). He was elected memberof parliament in 1973, 1991, 1996 and 2001. He was also elected a member of East Pakistan Provincial Council in 1970. He played a vital role in education movement in 1962 and six-point movement in 1966. He served the party as general secretary in two terms from 1978 to 1981 and 1981 to 1983. Razzak revived Baksal in 1982, but returned to the AL in 1991. He was one of the leaders of Mujib Bahini during liberation war. He was also the president of Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club. He served as a minister from 1996 to 2001. Shariful Islam and Hasan Jahid Tusher took the interview.
What are you thinking about election?
There is no alternative to democracy, and to give it a permanent shape there is no alternative to election. The election must be held on the declared date as there are a lot of doubts about it. So, the government should declare poll schedule to create an electoral environment.
You are saying that there are doubts over election. What are the reasons?
Firstly there is no consistency in the statements being made by the government and the Election Commission; secondly, they are shifting from their statements frequently. If they made the statements after having discussion among themselves it would have been better. Thirdly, some political parties who, according to newspaper reports, are trying to foil the election are also creating doubts among the people.
Do you have any doubts over participation of any party?
Even a few days back some political parties took a tough stance over registration with the Election Commission. They have backtracked from that stance which is a positive sign. We hope they will participate in the election and make it meaningful.
What will be the consequence if the election is not held?
The election must be held on December 18. No chance should be given for creation of doubt. If the election is not held, the government and those who are assisting the government will be held responsible.
Is AL prepared for the election?
We are prepared for the election. We have done many electoral activities in advance, so that we can complete every preparation within a week after our party chief's return.
What will be your stand if the election is held under emergency?
I've already said the election should be held after withdrawing the state of emergency to make it free, fair and transparent.
If the government does not withdraw the emergency?
I think the government is not in that position.
What about AL's election manifesto?
We will improve the manifesto that we prepared in 2006. We will give emphasis on the youth who have enrolled as voters and try to give a solution to their problems.
What about forging a grand alliance?
We have 14-party alliance, which is the key electoral base. Besides, we will look for a forming a grand alliance.
What is the necessity of forming a grand alliance now?
A fair political environment could prevail if AL and BNP participate in the election individually. But, BNP has formed electoral coalition with a force that was against the independence of the country. AL and BNP would have been established as two major political parties if BNP took part in election individually and the party of the criminals would drop out. Left alliance would also take their politics forward.
Does AL alone fear BNP-Jamaat coalition in the election?
It is not a question of fear. AL could participate alone, but as a component of 14-party it took part in movements for a long time. So, we are participating the election as 14-party alliance.
Why you are forming an alliance with former dictator Ershad?
When he was dictator, we had waged movement against him and ousted him. Now he has learnt from the past and if he wants to come to the democratic system and agrees that democratically elected government is government of the people then we have no dispute with him.
Apart from Ershad who is coming with you in the grand alliance?
It has not been finalised yet. We are keeping contact with different parties.
What will be Awami League's position in keeping those convicted in lower court, or corrupt suspects or patrons of criminals away from election?
Such kind of people in Awami League are very limited, and although there were one or two they had no influence in the party. If there is no political motive behind filing the cases, why have they been filed against Awami League leaders and workers now when they were not filed in the five-year tenure of the previous government? They failed to prove that leaders of Awami League resorted to corruption or misdeeds in last five years. I think cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina and other leaders in a bid to victimise them politically.
Do you think that politics will see a qualitative change after the elections?
Certainly. Political infertility will come to an end. It will be a strong step to give democracy a permanent shape. We will make the parliament effective, taking lesson from the mistakes we made in the past. And the parliament will be the key place of all political activities.
How will the parliament be made effective when political parties boycott it?
The culture of boycott needs to be stopped. All political parties need to free themselves from the bad culture of boycotting parliament. Besides, the legislature also needs to be free from administration. It also must be ensured that the activities in the parliament are not controlled by the prime minister or other ministers. In that case the speaker will hold all power and he must be independent and impartial. A balance of power can be brought by electing the speaker from the ruling party and deputy speaker from the opposition.
Will Awami League follow the practice?
We are determined to follow the practice. Sheikh Hasina had a meeting with us on the issue in the past and she emphasised on making the parliament effective. Moreover, it is also included in our 23-point charter.
What is your evaluation of the 1/11 changeover? Is there any lesson that the politicians can learn from 1/11?
Political parties have nothing to learn as the government used 1/11 to weigh all in a single scale. Today it has been proved that different kinds of charges have been brought against a party to victimise it politically. So there is nothing to get lesson from it. Secondly, they have done some good work according to our reforms proposals placed before the countrymen by Sheikh Hasina. Among those, there was a proposal for a voter list with photographs, and they have completed it. They have also implemented the demand of using transparent ballot boxes. Though they have separated the judiciary, it has not been implemented fully. These are really good initiatives. They also tried to make the Election Commission neutral and independent. But it will have to be given its right to work independently and according to its laws. They have also reformed the PSC. These are good jobs by the government. It will be another milestone if the government gives back the people's right to them through holding a free, fair and credible election.
Will you continue reform activities and anti-corruption drive if voted to power?
Certainly. We never closed any ongoing project that the previous BNP-Jamaat coalition government had started, though they had closed many of our regime's good projects immediately after assuming office. We always try to take forward any positive works.
What is your opinion about the minus-two theory?
It was not right. No one has the right to minus anybody forcibly. It is the people who can minus. But that will happen through people's vote. It is out of the question to minus Sheikh Hasina as she forged movements in favour of the people and spoke in favour of them. So why is there the question to make her minus?
Should dialogue be held between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia?
The people cannot accept the process by which the two leaders have been weighed on a same scale. In that case they, whether in government and opposition, they should hold talks frequently for the interest of the country and its people. We can accept that.
There are some negative opinions among the public about the four-senior leaders including you, who placed separate reforms proposals aiming to exclude party president Sheikh Hasina.
There were no words, even by mistake, to exclude Sheikh Hasina and some others in the reform proposals that I gave earlier. Whatever we had said we said on the basis of our 23-point reform proposals.
You mentioned power balance between president and prime minister in your reform proposal, do you still think so?
It is not possible now. No one can do it forcibly. Parliament will decide on the matter.
You also said that an individual cannot simultaneously hold a party and a governmental position, what do you think now about your proposals?
Sheikh Hasina herself also said that. It's not time to review this question. Election will be held, government will be formed, and then party council will be held and many things will be discussed there.
Do you stick to the reform proposals you placed earlier?
The EC has implemented most of our reform proposals. So our demands have been met.
How do you consider the foreign diplomat's interference in our country's politics?
Since we give them the chance, the foreigners can interfere. I agree that there should not be any interference in our internal matters, but if anyone supports us in principle about establishment of democracy, then it is acceptable.
What do you think could be the post election situation, and can we expect an end to hostility-based politics this time?
We will hope for the best. We will have to establish democratic practice and make parliament effective and independent, then we can hope that. But a certain political party wants to create a violent situation with the use of religion and religious sentiment.
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